Electrical translating apparatus



April 10, 192-8.

1,665,571 F. N. WATERMAN ELECTRICAL TRANSLATING-APPARATUa Original FiledJune 29. 1923 M 11 4 hwiwml F 5.

I I0 6 I INVENTOR. I ,7 g T B ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

FRANK N. WATERMAN, OF SUMMIT, NEW

JERSEY, ASSIGN OR TO THE UNION SWITCH &

SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL-VANIA.

ELECTRICAL TRANSLATING APPARATUS.

Continuation of application Serial No. 648,447, filed June 29, 1923.This 1923. Serial No. 669,578.

My invention relates to electrical translating apparatus.

The present application is a continuation of my co-pending applicationfiled on the 29th day of June, 1923, Serial No. 648,447,

for electrical translating apparatus.

I, will describeseveral forms of apparatus embodying my invention, andwill then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a view, partly diagrammatic andartly in cross section, showing one form of apparatus embodying minvention. Fig. 2 1s a sectional view of the translating device R (n theline 11-11 in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are views showing modifications ofthe controlling circuits shown in Fig. 1 and likewise embodying myinvention. Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modificationof the translating device to permit the control of a plurality ofsecondary circuits. Fig. 6 is a viewshowing another modification of thetranslating device to likewise permit the control of a plurality ofsecondary circuits. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing amodified form of apparatus embodying my invention, and Fig. 8 is a viewshowing a modification of the apparatus shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is aview showing still another form ofapparatus embodying my invention. Fig.10 is a view showing a translating. device of my invention enclosed in abulb.

, Similar reference characters refer to similar parts. in each of theseveral views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus includes a translatingdevice, shown here as functioning as a relay, and designated. as a wholeby the reference character R. This device comprises an electron emittingmember 2 which as here shown is a filament adapted tobe heated by theflow of electric current. The device also comprises a plate 3surrounding said filament either in whole or in part and arranged to beheated by the bombardment thereagainst due to the emission of electronsfrom the filament, and a thermo-sensitive. substance 4 so located as tobe exposed to changes in the temperature of the plate 3. Bythermo-sensitive substance I mean a substance having the characteristicof varying in electrical resistance in response to variations intemperature. This substance preferably has a high application filedOctober 19,

negative co-efficient, so that its electrical resistance decreases, asits temperature increases, and rises again upon cooling to substantiallyits initial value. For example, this substance may be cupric oxide.

As here shown the plate 3 is tubular in shape, the thermo-sensitivesubstance 4 is in the form of an envelope surrounding the plate, and thethermo-sensitive substance is held in place by a second tubular member 5of metal which also serves as an electrode for a secondary circuit aswill appear hereinafter.

The filament 2 is included in a primary.

circuit which comprises a source of current and means for controlling ormodifying the fiow of current in the filament. As here shown, theprimary circuit passes from the lefthand terminal of secondary 6 oftransformer T, through wire 7, filament 2, wire 8, contact 9, and wire 8to an intermediate point 10 in the secondary 6. The primary 11 oftransformer T is supplied withalternating current from a source notshown in the drawing. i

The device R is also provided with a plate circuit for imparting highvelocity to electrons emanating from the filament, which plate circuitpasses from the left hand terminal of secondary 6, through wire 7,filament 2, thence through the intervening space between this filamentand the plate 3, and

from the plate 3 through wire 12 to the right hand terminal of former T.

The secondary the secondary of transcircuit of the apparatus passes fromthe secondary 17 of a transformer T, through wire 13, anelectro-responsive device E, wire 14, electrode 5, thermo-sensitivesubstance 4, plate 3, and wire 15 to the other terminal of transformersecondary 17. As here shown, the electro-responslve device E is anelectric lamp. The primary 18 of transformer T is constantly suppliedwith alternating current from a source which is not shown in thedrawing.

The device R will usually be enclosed in a 'tube or bulb from which theair is exhausted or which contains a nonoxidizing gas, and willnecessarily be so enclosed when the filament 2 is of an oxidizablematerial. This is illustrated in Fig. 10, wherein the translating deviceR is enclosed in a bulb 19.

Another reason for enclosure in a bulb is lamp E. When,

that the amount of gas which can be tolerated inithe device isexceedingly small, especially when the difference of potential betweenthe filament and plate is considerable.

When the amount of gas is small, the bombardment against the plate ispredominatingly by electrons which are emitted by the filament. However,

ciable amount of gas present, a few of the.

constitute a positively charged ion and so it will move toward thefilament. These positive ions will tend to disintegrate the filament,andthis is the reason why the amount of gas in the bulb should be small.

The plate is,'therefore, in the general case, bombarded by electrons oftwo kinds, viz, those that are emitted by the filament and which may becalled primary electrons, and those which are produced by impact ofprimary electrons against atoms or molecules of be called secondaryelecbombardment may therefore in some cases be partly, and possiblylargely, ionic, although at the present time I believe that in practicalapplications of my invention'the bombardment will be almost entirely byprimary electrons. In any event the bombardment may be said to be due tothe emission of electrons from the filament.

The operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is as follows: When thecontact 9 is open, as shown in the drawing, the supply of current to thefilament 2 is discontinued,

so that there-is no bombardment of the plate gas and which may trons orions. The

3 in spite of the fact that a diflerence of potential between these twoelements is constantly maintained by the plate circuit. Under thiscondition the thermo-sensitive substance 4 is comparatively cool and itsresistance is then so high that the current, if any, which flows in thesecondary circuit of transformer T is not suflicient to light thehowever, contact 9 is closed, so that current is supplied to thefilament 2, electrons are emitted from this filament and flow to theplate 3,.because of the difi'erence of potential maintained betweenthese two elements by the plate circuit. Due .to the consequentbombardment against the late '3, the temperature of this plate rises, tereby causing the thermo-sensitive substance 4- to be heated. Theresistance of :this substance is then reduced-to such value that thecurrent, flowing in the secondary circuit from transformer T is ofsufficientmagn tude to light the lamp-E. When switch '9 15 if there isany appreand that the translating device,

aga-inopened, the electron stream ceases, so that the plate and thethermo-sensitive substance again become cool with the result that thelamp E becomes extinguished. It will be seen, therefore, that whencontact 9 is closed, lamp E is lighted, and when contact 9 is opened,lamp E is extinguished.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the apparatus is the same as that shown in Fig.1, except that the contact 9 is placed in the plate circuit instead ofin the clrcuit for energizing. the

filament 2. In Fig, 3, then, the filament 2 is constantlyheated, butthere will be no appreciable bombardment of the plate, except when thecontact!) is closed. When the contact is closed, the plate will beheated as before by bombardment, and so lamp E will be supplied withsuificient current to cause it to become lighted.

In Fig. 4 the contact 9 is included in Wire 7, so that it simultaneouslycontrols both the filament and the plate circuits. That is to say, whenthis contact is open the filament is cool and the plate circuit isde-energized, but when the contact is closed the filament is heated andthe plate circuit is energized, whereupon the bombardment against theplate causes the thermo-sensiti-ve substance 4 to be heated, as in Fig.1.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the apparatus is the same as that shown in Fig.1, except which is here .comprises a plurality of thermo-sensitive units4*, 49 and 4, each in the form of a ring or band, and each provided withan individual plate 3, 3 or 3, and with an individual sleeve orelectrode 5, 5". or 5. Each unit of thermo-sensitive substance isprovided secondary circuit comprising a secondary of transformer T T orT, and an electro-- responsive device designated by the referencecharacter E with a suitable exponent. When either the filament circuitor the plate circuit is de-energized, all'of .thethermodesignated R,

lamps E are extinguished. -When'both' the filament circuit and the platecircuit are energized, however, all of the thermo-sensitive units areheated so that all of the lamps E become'lighted. It will be seen,therefore, that the apparatus shown in Fig. 5 is suitable for thecontrol of a plurality of second-' ary circuits by a single primarycircuit and a single translating device R.

Fig. 6 shows a modification of the translating device of Fig. 5. Thisdevice It com prises a plurality of segmental units P, 4 and 49ofthermo-sensitive substance, each unit being provided with mental plate3, 3" or 3. vidual'segmental outer electrode 5, 5 or 5. Eachthermo-sensitive unit may be employed to control an individual secondarycircuit as in'Fig. 5, and the circuits associatedwith an individualsegand with an indilu l with an individual llU the device may be thesame as those showngrid preferably being tubular in shape, as

indicated in the drawing. The filament and plate clrcuits aresubstantially the same as the corresponding circuits shown in Fig. 1.

. The apparatus is further provided with a grid circuit which passesfrom the left hand terminal of transformer secondary 6, through contact9, grid 18, filament 2, and

'wlre 7 to an intermediate point in transformer secondary 6. In thearrangement of apparatus shown in Fig. 7 the secondary circuit includingthe lamp E is also supplied with current from the secondary 6 of transformer T. With the connections shown-in Fig. 7, the grid is negativewith respect to the filament at the same instant that the plate ispositive with respect to the filament, that is, the grid and platecurrents are out of phase, so that when the grid circuit is energizedthe grid opposes the flow of electrons from filament to plate. Theapparatus is so proportioned that when the grid is deenergized theelectron stream is such as to heat the plate by bombardment so that thethermo-sensitive substance is heated and lamp E is lighted, but thatwhen the gridis energized the bombardment against the plate is reducedto such extent that the thermosensitive substance becomes cool and thelamp E is extinguished.

In Fig. 8 the apparatus is the same as in Fig. 7, except that thecircuits are so arranged that the grid is positive with respect to thefilament at the same instant that the plate is positive with respect tothe filament. In other words the grid and plate currents are in phasewith each other. The apparatus is so pro rtioned that when the grid isdeenergize the bombardment against the plate is not sufiicient toheat'the plate and thermosensitive substance to the degree required tolight the lamp E, but that when the grid is energized the bombardment.is intensified and the plate and thermo-sensitive substance are thenheated to such degree that the lamp J becomes lighted.

It will be seen that the translating device R in Fig. 7 functions as aback contact of a relay, in that the lamp is lighted when the controllin(grid) circuit is open, and ext-inguishef when the controlling circuitis closed, whereas in Fig. 8 the translating device functions as a frontcontact of a relay in that the lamp is lighted when the controllingcircuit is closed and extinguished when the controlling circuit isopened. The advantage of the apparatus shown in Fig. 8 over that shownin Fig. 1 is that the grid circuit consumes only a small'amount ofpower, so thatthe control of the secondary circuit can be accomplishedwith less paratus shown in Fig. 8 paratus shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 9, the apparatus is the same as that shown in Fig.1, with the addition of means for creating a magnetic field which issubstantially perpendicular to the electron stream. The translatingdevice, which is here designated R, is provided with a coil 16surrounding the sleeve 5 and included in circuit with the secondary of atransformer T the primary of which is constantly supplied withalternating current. The circuit for coil 16, which will be obvious fromthe drawin includes a contact than by the appower by the ap- 9. WVhencontact. 9 is c osed, the magnetic field reduces the bombardment againstth=- plate 3, and so prevents the thermo-sensitive substance 4 bybombardment. Under this condition lamp E will, of course, beextinguished. When contact 9 is open, however, the electron stream isnot interrupted, the thermo-sensitive substance l is heated bybombardment, and lamp E is lighted. It will be seen, therefore, thateffective heating of with the apparatus shown in Fig. 7, the supply ofenergy to the translating device R prevents the lighting of lamp E, andso the delvice R functions as the back contact of a re ay.

Each translating device R,R", R and R will preferably be enclosed in abulb 19 as shown in Fig. 10, for the reasons set forth in connectionwith the device shown in Fig. 1.

Although I have herein shown and described only a few forms of apparatusembodying my invention, it is understood that.

various changes and modificationsv may be made therein within the scopeof the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope ofmyinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1'. In combination, a filament, a primary circuit including a source ofcurrent for heating said filament, aplate, a plate circuit includingsaid filament and said plate and a source of current for .im arting highvelocity to electrons emitted y said filament when the latter is heatedb the primary circuit, a thermo-sensitive su stance in contact with saidplate and arranged to be heated by bombardment due to electrons flowingfrom said filament to the plate said substance having the characteristicof varying in electrical resistance in response to variations in itstemperature, and a secondary circuit including said thermo-sensitivesubstance and a source of current whereby the amount of current flowingin the secondary circuit varies in response to the temperature of saidsubstance and so in response to the intensity of bombardment due toelectrons flowing from said filament to said plate,

2. In combination, a filament, a primary circuit including a source ofcurrent for heating said filament, a plate, a .plate circuit includingsaid filament and said plate and a source of current for imparting highvelocity to electrons emitted by said filament when the latter is heatedby the primary circuit, a grid interposed between said filament and saidplate, a grid circuit including said filament and said grid and asourceyoi' current for controlling the electron stream flowing from saidfilament to said plate, a thermo-sensitive substance in contact withsaid plate and arranged to be heated by bombardment due to electronsflowing from said filak ment to the plate said substance having thecharacteristic of varying 1n electrical resistance in response toVariations in its tem-- perature, and a secondary circuit including saidthermdsensitive substance and a source of current whereby the amount ofcurrent flowing in the secondary circuit varies in response to thetemperature of said substance I and so in response to the intensity ofbombardment due to electrons flowing from said filament to said plate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. FRANK N. WATERMEAN

